Issue - meetings

To consider any requests received in accordance with Standing Orders.

The Leader of the Council had accepted a deputation request from Park Road Lido User Group in relation to agenda Item 9 - Leisure Management.

Sharon Louth addressed the Cabinet and set out the deputation on behalf of Park Road Lido User Group.

NOTED:

• Park Road Lido User Group is a group of over 1000 swimmers passionate about the Lido. The group emphasised the positive impact it had on Haringey residents. The group expressed concerns for the Lido’s future and explained that this was a vital part of Haringey’s leisure offer. They wanted to be reassured that the Lido was sufficiently considered in future plans and closure during the winter period was a particular worry for residents. They contended that the report on leisure services lacked vision and clarity and that there was no specific mention of swimming.

• The deputation party felt that the report spoke of reputational risk to the Council if it were to contract out to another failing leisure provider and believed it didn’t give similar weight to the Council failing due to a lack of expertise or financial backing or had sufficient information to truly assess the risks.

• The leisure services report recommended Council delivery; however, in the deputation’s view, the contents of the report did not make convincing arguments for this. The group thought it was important for members to consider whether without any current resident consultation, the right information was provided to make an effective decision at this meeting.

There were questions from Cllr Hakata and Cllr Chandwani to the deputation party and they responded as follows:

• Historically, the Council had not kept the Lido open effectively. The group recognised the pressures on the Council budget, and due to this it was viewed as at a higher risk being a Council managed facility than an external contracted facility. The deputation felt that an external provider would have more experience in running the Lido as a business.

• There were examples given of where the running of services by a private company had worked well, for example the London Fields Lido. The group questioned whether there had been discussion of how private companies worked on services in other local authorities.

The Cabinet Member for Culture, Communities & Leisure responded to the deputation. She reaffirmed that the Council would be looking carefully at how leisure services were run and would be listening to resident’s views and concerns. She also provided reassurance that indoor and outdoor swimming would be a consideration in the long-term vision planned for the leisure provision across the borough. The cost of keeping the Lido open had been included in budget estimates and officers had also included the estimates for energy saving measures. The plan would be to keep the Lido open all year round, the Council wanted to invest in the Lido to reduce the running costs and improve the income generating potential. In terms of running the service, the Council have in house knowledge to effectively do this. It was estimated that Fusion  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35